Red was introduced by Renata Balducci, who highlighted his diverse talents and longtime friendship. He has been a staple at VeganFest since its memorable inception on Easter Monday in April 2011 in Camaiore. 2018 marked a milestone for Red with the release of “Testimone del tempo,” his third solo album and his first since Pooh disbanded. He also participated in the Sanremo Music Festival with “Ognuno il suo racconto.” Today, he proudly holds the VEGANOK Award for “Cosa abbiamo fatto mai“, described by Red as “the first truly vegan song by a genuine vegan.” An ardent animal rights advocate and honorary member of the AssoVegan – Associazione Vegani Italiani Onlus, Red captures the essence of a life aligned with the principles of veganism through his music.
At VeganFest, Red charmed the audience and viewers with his candid and engaging storytelling. He reflected on his evolution from vegetarianism to veganism, emphasizing tolerance over controversy. He delighted the audience with personal anecdotes and his diverse hobbies, which range from vegan cooking—often alongside his daughter Chiara—to bonsai, painting, and nurturing a deep connection with nature and creativity. “There are many ways to communicate—cooking, art, words, music, singing. I aim to use them all,” he explained.
Red’s upcoming projects include a Christmas concert with an orchestra and a series of acoustic piano concerts. His generosity extends beyond animal advocacy to support various humanitarian causes, including concerts for terminal illness patients and earthquake survivors, approached with humility. He also shared a touching story about winning his first singing contest with a Beatles song and later working alongside his idol, Paul McCartney, on the “Glass Walls” video for Peta. His commitment to animal rights is woven throughout his career, highlighted by songs like “Cantico,” “Testimone del tempo,” and “Io ti aspetterò,” which addresses omnivores.
While Renata interviewed Red, his daughter Chiara demonstrated her vegan culinary skills live. She prepared handmade vegan pasta colored with vegetable powders, filled with sautéed vegetables in sesame oil, and steamed with a lime caviar topping. She also discussed her blog, www.chiaracanzian.com, and her next venture—a recipe-filled novel co-written with her boyfriend, soon to be published by Rizzoli.
The event culminated with Renata awarding the VEGANOK Award 2018 to Red for his inspirational song “Cosa abbiamo fatto mai”, celebrated as the first Italian vegan song performed by the incredible Red. Here are the poignant lyrics:
Cosa abbiamo fatto mai?
L’alba, il tramonto, l’acqua e la terra, la neve, il fuoco
Tutto ci parla, ma non ascoltiamo mai
Non è pioggia ma sono lacrime
Cosa mai ci ha spinto fino a qui?
Senza cuore a distruggere così
Cosa abbiamo fatto mai?
Senza attenzione, senza rispetto, senza bellezza perdiamo tutto
Cosa abbiamo fatto mai?
Non è pioggia ma sono lacrime
Cosa mai ci ha spinto fino a qui?
Senza un’anima, perderci così
Quale domani lascerai?
In quali cieli sognerai?
E ai tuoi figli adesso chi lo spiegherà
Che dove c’era luce ora è oscurità?
Non è pioggia ma sono lacrime
Cosa mai ci ha spinto fino a qui
Senza cuore a distruggere così
Tutto ci parla
Catch this memorable moment in the video below:
